US strategic bombers arrive in Romania

For the first time, US strategic bomber aircraft have deployed to Romania. Two US Air Force B-52H Stratofortress aircraft have arrived at the Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base in Romania. They’ll be undertaking flying missions with NATO Allies and Partners to synchronise capabilities, tactics and procedures. The B-52Hs have deployed from Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana in the United States.

The US routinely demonstrates its commitment to NATO Allies and Partners through Bomber Task Force missions, providing assurance and contributing to deterrence, particularly along NATO’s eastern flank.

“The 20th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron is out here at MK airbase supporting a Bomber Task Force deployment in the European theatre. We’re working with our NATO Allies and partners to conduct training, improve interoperability and work on the fundamentals of securing the Black Sea region,” said lieutenant colonel Jared Patterson, 20th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron commander.

“Bomber Task Force Europe is part of the larger Bomber Task Force enterprise. We conduct BTFs all across the globe. BTF, or Bomber Task Force Europe, is focussed on the European region and so that’s why we’re here at MK Air Base, working with our NATO partners, securing the Black Sea region,” he added.

“This Bomber Task Force mission, like many others we conduct across the globe, focus on improving how we communicate and work with our Allied partners. Flying together, training together, working together on the ground, we build that common picture so that we can work better in any environment.

No nation can meet today’s security challenges alone. So it’s important that we operate in those critical areas like the Black Sea region. So it’s been a great experience for the team here to get to know some of our NATO partners and Allies, to work with them, to fly with them and train with them over the last few days.

While we do Bomber Task Force missions all across the globe, this one is a special deployment for us. It’s the first time ever we’ve done a Bomber Task Force to Romania and the first time ever that B-52s have operated on Romanian soil. It gives us a unique opportunity to work with our partners and Allies here, to work with our joint partners in the Army, and conduct real-life missions to hone tactics, techniques, and procedures,” Patterson concluded.